problem with history file

[ukraine12]

when we log on to a system with our userid and then to root we used to have a history file for each user logging to root. (.sh_hst.`logname'). now that doesn't work anymore. if i check the HISTFILE parameter with set, i see the correct HISTFILE parameter, but my history of commands is put in the default : .sh_history. so it looks like it is not set. But it is exported in the profile files, etc.

What could be wrong?

 

[columb]

The first thing to check is that you have write access to $HISTFILE, if you haven't then it defaults to .sh_history - I know this sounds crazy if you're working as root but I got caught this way once.

If that doesn't work can you post the relevant chunks out of /etc/profile, .profile and set

This is an example of how we do it on our systems (note the chmod 666!)

HIST_ID=$(who am i | awk '{print $1}')
HIST_TTY=$(tty | awk -F / '{print $NF}')
export HISTFILE=/var/hist/${HIST_ID}_${HIST_TTY}_$(date +"%d.%m.%y")
touch $HISTFILE 2>/dev/null
chmod 666 $HISTFILE 2>/dev/null
export HISTSIZE=50000

Columb Healy